Manuel Uribe, Once The World’s Heaviest Man, Dies Aged 48

Manuel Uribe, the Mexican national who was once listed in the Guinness Book Of World Records as the heaviest living man has passed away, reports ABC News. Uribe, 48, died at a hospital in his hometown of Monterrey, the capital of the northeastern state of Nuevo León in Mexico.

He was admitted to the hospital earlier this month after he was diagnosed with irregular heartbeat. He had to be taken to the hospital with the help of a crane since he is too heavy to be easily lifted, even by a group of people. Uribe’s death was confirmed by an official of the health department of Nuevo Leon.

Doctors have not yet revealed the actual cause of Manuel Uribe’s death.

An individual suffering from a condition known as morbid obesity, Manuel Uribe once weighed an astonishing 564 kilograms (1234 lb). and it was that weight that placed him in the Guinness Book of World Records. He was then able to gradually lose weight and managed to bring his weight down to a still mind boggling 394 kilograms (868 lb). While his weight did come down, Manuel was still unable to walk and mostly remained confined to his bed, requiring help from friends and family for even basic tasks.

Manuel received international attention back in 2006 – the year he was featured in the Guinness Book of World Records. He was listed as the world’s heaviest living individual. Uribe, however, was not the heaviest man in history. That title belonged to Jon Brower Minnoch of the United States who, at his peak, weighed 635 kilograms! (1,400 lb).

Uribe was also recently surpassed by Saudi Arabian national Khalid bin Mohsen Shaari, who is thought to weigh 610 kilograms (1,316 lb). However, his claim is still unverified. Another astonishing claim, also unverified, is that of another US citizen, Carol Yager, who, according to some people, weighed over 700 kilograms at her peak. She died in 1994.